McD over Belichick as Broncos defeat Pats 20-17

DENVER(AP) -- Kyle Orton is no John Elway, Josh McDaniels is no
Bill Belichick and those mustard-yellow uniforms certainly don't
have anyone thinking "Orange Crush."

But on a day that had as much to do with Denver's colorful
history as its promising present, anything seemed possible.

Orton led a drive that might ring a bell for Broncos fans - 98
yards in the fourth quarter to tie the game - then Matt Prater
kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime Sunday to lift Denver to
a 20-17 victory over New England.

McDaniels got a win over his old boss, Belichick, and the
Broncos improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1998, their
last Super Bowl season.

"I lied," McDaniels said, when asked about his game-week
assertion that this was just another game. "It was a little bit
more special to me because I knew how hard it was to beat him."

His postgame reaction said it all. After a quick wave to
Belichick near midfield, McDaniels ran to the corner of the
stadium near where his family sits and pumped his fist
repeatedly before sharing bear hugs with his players.

"This doesn't mean a whole lot unless you can share it with
somebody," McDaniels said. "Sometimes, you're allowed to have
fun. That's what I was doing."

As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the AFL, the
Broncos came out in their 1960s yellow jerseys and vertically
striped socks, then played better than they looked.

Orton threw for 330 yards and two scores. The defense held New
England (3-2) scoreless in the second half.

Denver's game-tying, fourth-quarter drive certainly wasn't "The
Drive" - Elway's classic, 98-yard march that helped beat the
Browns 23-20 back in the 1987 AFC title game - but it will go
down as one of the best in this franchise's history.

This start?

Easily the most surprising since the Broncos took the field half
a century ago. Even the 1977 Super Bowl team - the team that
coined the term "Orange Crush" - was viewed as an up-and-comer
back then, something the turmoil-wracked Broncos certainly were
not heading into 2009.

"The guys in this locker room believe, the coaches believe, guys
believe in each other and are fighting," defensive lineman
Vonnie Holliday said.

Trailing 17-10 with 9:59 left, Orton was at his patient best
during the game-tying drive that started at the 2. A 14-yard
completion to Jabar Gaffney, a screen to Knowshon Moreno that
sprung for 27. A 7-yard completion to Eddie Royal, who finished
with 10 catches for 90 yards.

Brandon Marshall, who scored the game-winner last week against
Dallas, did the honors this time, too, catching a pass on the
sideline, then spinning and breaking a tackle for an 11-yard
score that tied it at 17. It was his second touchdown of the
game.

The teams traded a pair of possessions around midfield to close
regulation, then the Broncos won the toss and drove 58 yards to
set up the winning field goal with 10:09 left in OT.

"The electricity in the stadium was so great that we had to have
it," Orton said. "When we got to overtime, we just had to win."

The game was billed as a matchup between coaching mentor and
pupil - one of many Belichick has faced since he started winning
Super Bowls and pushing young head coaches into the NFL world.

It started with some tactical games from McDaniels, who put the
Broncos in the wildcat formation on their first drive and
watched them rip off gains of 12, 13 and 14. Belichick called a
timeout to adjust, the Broncos stalled and Prater missed a
48-yard field goal.

From there, it was exactly what both coaches promised it would
be - a well-played, hard-fought game decided more by the players
than the Xs and Os.

The Broncos forced Tom Brady to be patient and pick underneath,
the way he has for much of this season. He went 19 for 33 for
215 yards, but only 63 of those came in the second half.

The Denver defense has allowed a grand total of 43 points in
five games - one of the best starts in the league's history. And
add this to the resume: Denver handed Brady his first overtime
loss. He fell to 7-1.

McDaniels used to be his position coach.

"Josh is a great coach, so he's obviously learned a lot and he's
got the team playing well," Brady said. "Pretty impressive for a
first-year coach. He's a hard worker and he certainly deserves
it. They're playing well."

Orton, meanwhile, improved to 18-2 at home as an NFL starter,
and the widely derided decision to anoint him the quarterback
and trade away Jay Cutler still looks like a good one.

Denver's decision to choose Moreno with its first draft pick
when the defense needed an overhaul also looks good. The rookie
made his first start - in place of injured Correll Buckhalter -
and finished with 88 yards rushing, along with the key, 27-yard
catch during the tying drive.

The Broncos lost a fumble and Orton threw his first interception
of the season - to wide receiver Randy Moss, of all people, on a
desperation heave to close the first half - to lose the turnover
battle 2-1.

No big deal, unless you consider this: It was the first time in
54 games - a streak dating to 2003 - that the Patriots had
forced more turnovers and lost. Another in a long list of
surprises the Broncos are pulling off in a season hardly anyone
saw coming.

Notes: Orton's interception was his first in 173 attempts,
dating back to when he played for the Bears. ... Patriots OT
Matt Light went out in the fourth quarter with an injured right
knee and the team offered no update after the game. ... Pats K
Stephen Gostkowski made a career-long 53-yard field goal, then
missed a 40-yarder to snap a string of 12 straight successful
FGs.